St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-12
RAISED IN DIGNITY.
The Department of Agriculture and the
Bureau of Labor Given Cabinet
Representation.
uro-Pneumonia Discussed at Length in
the House, But No Action
Taken.
Secretary Endicott Becomes a Warm
Advocate of the Hennepfn
Canal Project.
A Proposition to Pay the Freedman's
Bank Depositors in FulI--Na-
ional Capital otes.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.-When the
house assembled, Mr.. Willis. of Kentucky,
reported back the river and harbor appro-
priation bill and it was referred to the COM
mittee of the whole. On motion of Mr..
Caswell. of Wisconsin, Wednesday, Feb
ruary 9. at o'clock was set apart for the
consideration of resolutions touching the
death OF William I. Price late representa-
tive from Wisconsin. Mr.. Bragg. of Wis
cOnSln, from the committee on military at
fairs reported back the senate bill author
lZing the secretary of war to accept certain
land near Chicago.
Mr. Oates, Alabama, from the commit
tee on the revision of the laws. reported a
bill to prohibit the appointment of congress
slOnal committees to attend funerals at the
public expense outside of the District of
Columb a, and also to prohibit the draping
OF public buildings in mourning, except
upon the authority of the president.
The speaker laid before the house a mes
sage from the president transmitting COM
munication from the secretary of state in
regard to an invitation extended to this
government to appoint a delegate or dele
gates TO the fourth international Dr. son
congress to meet at St Petersburg in 1890,
and commenting his suggestion 10 the IA
vorabie attention of congress: referred.
On motion of Mr.. Hatch, Missouri. and in
spite of the antagonism of MI Willis,
Kentucky with the river and harbor BILL
the house went into the committee of the
whole, Nh Springer, Illinois. in the chair,
Oh the bill creating
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
and labor. On motion of Mr. Foran (Ohio)
an amendment was adopted increasing from
81. 600 to So 900 the salary of the commits
sioner of labor The committee then rose
and the bill was passed. Yeas 222, nays %.
1t provides that there shall be at the seat
OF government an executive department to
be known as the department of agriculture
and labor, under the control Of a secretary
of agriculture and labor. and an assistant
secretary. There shall be in the department
of agriculture and labor division which
shall be under the charge of
a COMMISSIONER OF LABOR,
who shall hold his Office for four years and
until his successor shall be appointed. un-
less sooner removed, and shall receive a
sa4ary of $1,000 year. The commits
siOner shall collect information upon the
subject of labor, its relation to capital, the
hours of labor. the rate of wages. the cost
earnings OF lahoring men and women, the
means of promoting their material, social.
intellectual and moral prosperity and the
best means to protect life and prevent
accident i'll mines, work shops. factories
and other places of industry. The Secre-
tary is empowered to inquire into the causes
Of discomfort which may exist between
employers and employ within the United
States, and he may invite and hear sworn
statements from both such parties concern
ing the matters in controversy.
Mr.. Herbert, Alabama, then called up the
naval reorganization bill, but he was antag-
OnZed by Mr.. Hatch with motion that
the house go into committee of the whole
for the purpose of considering the bill
smendatory of the act establishing bureau
OF animal industry. The recent
OUTBREAK OF CATTLE DISEASE
in Chicago, said Mr.. Hatch, made it an i'm
perative necessity that the house should
pass the bill, for every hours delay was
dangerous. His motion was agreed to.
MI. Hatch said that the present law was
beneficial as far as it went, but that it did
not 90 far enough. 1t was inefficient and
inadequate to ST ppresS the spread of pleuro-
pneumonia, which, if not controlled by
national legislation. would in short time
absolutely destroy the value of the cattle
industry. The danger could not be over
stated. The loss in dollars and cents to
the people of the United States when the
gun fired at Fort Sumpter ushered in the
rebellion was not greater than that threat
ened by the outbreak of pleuro- pneumonia.
Proceeding to a consideration of the details
of the bill. he stated that the changes con-
sisted chiefly in the removal of the restric-
ton upon the commissioner of agriculture
as to the employment of force to enforce
the law, and empowering the commissioner
with the CO. operation of the state auth0ri-
ties under state laws to condemn and de-
strOy affected cattle. That right did not
exist under the present law. the commits
siOner beng unable to get possession of in
fected cattle by purchase from the owner,
and some of the states had prohibited the
commissioner to enter for the purpose of
ENFORCING THE LAW.
1t was provided in the pending bill that
when state refused or neglected to CO.
operate with the commissioner, the presi-
dent should declare that state in quarantine
and prohibit the transportation of cattle
out of it. Mir. McMllen inquired why, if
a COW was worse than useless. the treasury
should be compelled to pay the value of the
animal before it contracted the disease Mr..
Hatch replied that this provision was based
upon the experience Of the most enlightened
governments in the management of the
disease for 100 years. 1t was so easy to
conceal the existence of the disease. and so
hard to detect it, that some compensation
must be given to the owners of the infected
cattle or all the money which could be APP
prOpriated would not stamp out the disease.
THE BILL OPPOSED.
Mr.. Morgan, of Mississippi, and Mr..
Swinbume. Of New York. opposed the bill
on the ground that it would not reach the
evil and that the government should not
be made to pay for worthless cattle. Be-
sides, IN their view, the object could Just
be as well accomplished by quarantine, as
in the case of human beings inflicted with
contagious disease. The commission was
also gwen arbitrary and dangerous power
over the commerce of the states. There
was no more reason why farmers should be
compensated for diseased cattle than for
crops destroyed by cyclone.
Pending further discussion the house ad-
journed.